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Abused wife who put husband behind bars speaks out

A CWMBRAN woman whose husband beat her whilst pregnant and rubbed chillies into her eyes, has chosen to speak out about the years of abuse he inflicted on her, after watching him sentenced to prison.

Amy Brown, 24, originally from Cwmbran, decided to speak to the Argus following the decision of the other victim in the case, Kate King, who shared her story with us last week.

Alfred James Brown was sentenced to 10 years at Cardiff Crown Court on June 5. Brown, 30, from Ty Fry Close, Blaenavon was found guilty of three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, rape and sexual activity with a female under the age of 16.

Brown was convicted of assault against his wife of five years, Amy Brown, who gave evidence in the trial which led to his conviction. One charge spanned a period from December 31, 2007 – November 30, 2013 and another related to an incident on August 23, 2013.

Amy began her relationship with Brown, aged 18, shortly after he split from Miss King. Less than six months later, in February 2009, the pair were married.

“After we got married things got worse. He got more controlling and his temper was vile.

“He used to say to me he was sorry then act like it never happened. He’d see a bruise on me and say ‘where did you get that from?’ He never admitted he had done anything.”

The court heard from Amy about an incident from 2010 .

“It was a stupid argument,” Amy said. “He was cooking at the time. I said something to him and he came running into the front room and was hitting me and he rubbed chillies in my eyes. I tried getting out of the flat and managed even though I couldn’t see anything.

“But he came out and dragged me back in by my hair and was kicking my head against the front door.”

Amy was unable to call anyone for help after the attack. She said Brown would smash up her mobile phones and cut the line of the house phone: “He used to go out and lock me in. I had no life with him. I couldn’t go out, I couldn’t do anything. He was dominating and controlling. I never even had a bank account. He kept all the money.

“I reported incidents but he would deny it and they kept bringing him back. The consequences I would get for ringing the police were worse. In the end you start believing you deserve it.

Amy said in one flat, it was the stairs that “always worried her”. Amy’s property is now fitted with alarms and she has a phone that goes straight through to police. But she said: “It’s a bit late now.”

In August of last year, just a week before Amy was due to give birth, Brown assaulted her: “He hit me in the stomach with a bamboo stick.”

Three days later, Amy gave birth to a still-born baby. A post-mortem concluded the baby’s death was not caused by Brown’s assault.

Amy said she tried to take her own life twice during the last five years, just to escape him: “You’re too scared to get out of it, to leave. I’m lucky because I got away from him before it was too late.”

Brown was arrested and sentenced for a separate incident against his wife in September of last year, but it was while he was in prison that Amy told police about further incidents and recommended they question his former partner, Kate King too.

Amy said: “I’m proud I came forward. I have nothing to be ashamed of. Nobody deserves that kind of abuse.” For anyone currently stuck in an abusive relationship, Amy said: “Speak to someone. You’ve got to get out before it’s too late. There is help out there.”

She is now trying to move on with her life and plans to formally end their marriage. She said: “I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Ipsoregulated

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